Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Taking Care of Cruelty-Free Fashion.

Cruelty-free
fashion is something a lot of us are very proud to support. We buy ethically
sourced, animal friendly clothing, accessories and make-up. But how do you
clean and dry your ethical fashion items to keep them looking as good as new?
What is the best way to care for your cruelty-free clothing? This article
covers several of the main categories of humane fabrics: fur alternatives,
leather alternatives and silk alternatives.

General Points

·Before you get to work cleaning your new garments, always read
their clothing care labels to determine firstly the type of fabric in the
garment, and secondly the safest washing and drying conditions for every item.

·When using a specialist stain remover, always test a discreet part
of the fabric to ensure that the remover won’t stain or damage the material.

·Turn your fashion garments inside out before putting them in the
washing machine or dryer. This is to prevent the garments from snagging during
the agitation or spin cycles.

Faux Fur

Aside from
the most obvious benefit of owning faux fur – which is that it doesn’t come
from animals – synthetic fur is a lot easier to clean and look after than its
real counterpart. Faux fur can even be cleaned in your washing machine at home.

Faux fur
needs to be cleaned separately from the rest of your laundry. Fill your washing
machine with warm water and add a mild detergent. Soak your garments for 15
minutes in the machine. If the garments are clean after those 15 minutes then drain
your drum and start a gentle spin & rinse cycle, being careful not to
agitate the faux fur when drying.

Once the
excess water has been removed, hang up the faux fur pieces and allow them to
air dry. Use your hand to mold the fur back into its original shape as it
dries.

Leather-free

As with faux
fur, leather-free or “leather” garments can be cleaned and taken care of at
home.

You don’t
have to do much to keep your plastic-based (PVC) leather fashion clean: all it
will need is a wipe with a damp cloth to remove the majority of stains and
dirt.

When it
comes to giving your leather-free items a more thorough wash, use a mild
soap-based detergent. You can either clean the items in a cold hand wash, or
with the “delicates” spin cycle of your washing machine.

In the case
of more permanent stains on the PVC leather, all you will need to clean them up
is either some rubbing alcohol or hairspray. Carefully dab your chosen stain
remover onto the affected area, then wipe clean with plenty of water.

Nylon and Polyester

Nylon and
polyester fabrics are both used as ethical alternatives to silk. Both fabrics
are machine washable: warm water and standard laundry detergent is the most
effective way to clean them.

"Cruelty-free
clothing is already an easy choice to make. With the correct knowledge, looking
after your ethical wardrobe and keeping it at its best will be just as simple!"